AAP To Go Solo In 2024 Lok Sabha Polls, To Contest On All 13 Seats In Punjab

Following Mamata Banerjee's declaration of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) participating independently in West Bengal, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann stated on Wednesday that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is poised to "win on all 13 Lok Sabha seats in the state."

The Opposition INDIA bloc comprises allies Congress and AAP. Mann's remarks followed Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Mamata Banerjee's announcement that her party, also an INDIA ally, will independently contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Earlier reports indicated that AAP is leaning towards contesting all 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab independently. It was revealed that Kejriwal has given his approval to the proposal from AAP's Punjab unit to go solo in the general elections.

Reports further suggested that AAP might opt not to form an alliance with Congress in Punjab, citing the grand old party's inflexible stance on seat-sharing as the reason for their reluctance.

It must be noted that the AAP, which won four seats with a vote share of 25 per cent in its first Lok Sabha elections in 2014, slumped badly in 2019. However, its performance has significantly declined in the current elections, managing only one seat and a reduced vote share of 7.36 per cent, which is less than one-third of its initial showing in Punjab five years ago.